The birth.

The birth.

It's dinner time by the time Guzman and I reach the hospital. I am vaguely aware that I haven't had anything to eat. Will it be unwise to order pizza? Am I supposed to eat before the birth? I ask myself as I try and stay calm so I wouldn't spook Guzman. He already looks horrified when I joke that I might give birth in the car.

I am surprised at how well he navigates the traffic given the circumstances. He's a great driver, but my gripping of the seat and endless wailing doesn't make for the best driving situation. He is surprisingly gentle and tries to help me stay calm by practicing my breathing patterns with me.

I call the hospital in advance to let them know that I'm on my way so I wouldn't have to waste too much time. They must already be waiting for me, with Ross too.

He managed to get to the hospital before me.

The minute I'm out of the car, Ross is beside me holding me. I've never seen Ross so worried. I've never felt so relieved setting my eyes on his handsome face. He stands next to me and comforts me while I bawl me eyes out. I'm given a wheelchair and a doctor comes forward to ask how far apart the contractions were.

Damn it to hell. I wasn't timing shit. I've been too busy trying to get through the pain.

"How do you feel Elenora?" He asks when we reach the elevator and it feels like I am gripped with another contraction.

"Honestly, I feel pretty terrible. Did I mention that I want the epidural?"

My doctor nods.

"Yes, we'll prep you up for it right away after confirming how close the birth is."

"Honestly, I'm surprised I haven't given birth already. It literally feels like my inside are being ripped out!"

"Just stay calm Elenora."
The doctor tries to comfort me while we're in the elevator.

The next hour goes by in a blur. The nurse settle Ross and I in the delivery suite and Ross checks out the suitcase I brought which is most likely filled with junks. I had dumped everything right in without time to even fold or rearrange anything. It is a complete mess but Ross doesn't mention anything. He just sits next to it and starts to fold the baby clothes and diapers properly.

"We should have packed a bag earlier." He murmurs.

I snort.

"Before or after my kidnapping?" I retort.

"Do you need anything?" He asks again for the tenth time with that same worrying voice.

He's being so fussy that it's actually becoming very annoying. I just wish I wouldn't hear him talk when I'm going through labour. It's going to be very hard to focus on the birth if his words of encouragement are doing very little to keep me focused.

A nurse hooks me up to a blood pressure machine and checks my temperature. She checks my other vitals too.

I'm asked to change out of my clothes into the hospital robe. The hospital l robe leaves very little to the imagination in the back, but I guess I don't really care if the doctors and nurses see my ass. It is a great ass.

The nurse says she wants to check how far dilated I am.

She looks at Ross to know if he's okay with the internal examination. Frankly I don't think he'll be comfortable watching her stick a hand inside my vagina.


"Will you be okay here? I have to check the position of the babies and see how dilated she is."

I'm afraid Ross would flinch and leave but he says he wants to be around for everything.

He moves closer to me and holds my hand while we talk about all the things we are going to do when the babies arrive and other mundane things between my contractions. We decide that decorating the nursery is not our thing, we're not even going to have the time for it now that the babies are on their way. So we will leave it to a professional who should be able to finish it before we arrive from the hospital.

The nurse says I'm seven centimetres dilated and I have to be prepped for the epidural fast. She leaves to inform the doctor.

Another nurse comes in to check my the babies heartbeats and even though she assures me that it's strong and regular I'm still very scared. They are preemies and they might have a lot of complications.

"Ross. I'm scared."

I whisper as I squeeze his hands again.

"You're doing fine Elenora. You have nothing to worry about."

"I know. I'm scared for the babies. They're going to be born preemies. They can have a lot of complications and all."

"They're going to be fine. I promise you. You're doing great! You're so strong. We've both endured a lot of things together, I think we can handle this just fine."

"You think so?" I ask while looking up at his beautiful blue eyes.

"Baby. I know we can."

"We've waited for this day for a very long time. Nothing is going to ruin it."

Ross kisses my forehead and I savor the quiet and blissful moment for a while before my next contraction grips me.



Things don't go as planned. My doctor arrives too late for the epidural to be administered and I am subjected to excruciating labour. I thought I was going to die.


Around 11:43 pm, our babies are delivered via natural delivery. Our baby girl comes one minute and fifteen seconds earlier than our baby boy.

They wail so loudly that there is not doubt that their little lungs work perfectly. The doctor also confirms that they are at a good weight for preemies. Ross cuts their umbilical cords. And we both cry when they are placed in our arms. I can't believe that these two perfect and wonderful beings came from me.

Viola Audrey Hamilton and Alexander Keir Hamilton are perfect.

Ross kisses me as tears stream down from his face while he holds Viola and I hold Alexander.

I use my hands to trace their faces as we both watch them in awe. The first few precious minutes we are given with them before they're taken to be properly cleaned up.
They are both pale, taking after my colouring, but their blond hair suggests that they might not have Ross's dark hair colour. Their eyes are also different.

Little Alexander has my dark amber eyes, but even though he has my eyes, I can tell he's going to be the spitting image of Ross.

Viola on the other hand has blue eyes.  Eyes as captivating and blue just like her father's. I have no doubts that they're going to break a lot of hearts when they grow up.
The nurses are already fighting over them.

I lie in bed in my private room Ross lying next to me in a euphoric daze. I don't think I've ever felt such peace before in my life. I am simply content with staring at my little dots eyes.

Counting their toes over and over again. Watching them breathe, looking at every hair on their beautiful head and staring at their eyes. Ross and I don't have words for each other, we're very happy just staring out our perfect little bundles swaddled tightly in baby blankets. I breathe in their smell and instantly fall in love with their baby smell. It's like I'm falling in love all over again.
But a different kind of love with a stronger and deeper connection that went way beyond physical. I can't believe that I've only been with them for less than an hour and they already have my heart right in my palms. Ross's too with the way he is staring at them with awe.

Grandma Marcella comes in while I am drifting in and out of sleep. Exhausted is an understatement for what I am feeling but I don't want to close my eyes for fear that they will be taken away from me. She stares at them lovingly and busts into tears.

She must be so happy I think as I slowly drift into sleep.